What does Indie sound like? It doesn't. Simply enough, Indie is Independent. Bands/artists released on
independent labels are Indie!
Does Indie necessarily mean unpopular? No. As you can see with bands/artists like The Postal Service* and Interpol**, bands on independent labels such as Sub Pop and Matador can be widely-loved by all sorts of people, and remain on their independent labels.
*Matador is apparently no longer owned by Capitol
**Sub Pop is only partially-owned by WEA
What happens when bands aren't independent anymore? On Gaia, we move their thread to the Main Music Forum (or an appropriate subforum). Some of your favorite bands may have moved there recently, such as Dragonforce. Outside of the world of Gaia and goofy internet forums, bands may:
-Undergo creative changes based upon producers worked with and managers'/agents' suggestions and opinions
-Make more money. Or less money. Plenty of artists still get screwed over by major labels. (
See Link)
-Gain a wider range of appeal among the population.
So, as you can see, sometimes things change when a band/artist switches to a major. But it is not a huge deal! Usually, artists maintain some shred of creative integrity and still produce pretty good work. This doesn't mean you have to denounce them as musicians by any means.
Can you recommend some good Indie music for me? No. I could, but one of the greatest things about Independent music is that none of it is handed to you by someone else. Indie is enriching and actually requires effort. You may find yourself driving 50 miles to buy an album once you get into Independent artists. Of course, people share music with each other all the time--word of mouth is sometimes the best thing out there for an Indie group or artist! However, you really should understand that Indie is a learning experience.
Thanks for taking the time to educate yourself!
Please PM me with more questions for the FAQ!